Struggling Canberra will be without attacking talisman Jack Wighton for the next two NRL matches after he was charged for dangerous contact in the wash-up from round four.
In the second half of the Raiders’ 24-14 loss to Newcastle, Wighton hit Jackson Hastings late after the Knights halfback put up a kick.
Replays showed Wighton made contact with Hastings’ head and referee Gerard Sutton sent him to the sin bin, having allowed him to stay on the field after a careless high tackle earlier in the game.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said he believed Hastings had been falling to the ground when he was collected high and was hopeful Hastings’ immediate recovery from the shot would factor into Wighton’s penalty.
“I’m not too concerned about that one,” Stuart said.
“He was just trying to change the momentum of play and get a bit of energy in a desperate period of play, trying to change the momentum for the team.
“With Jackson falling like that and being collected in that fashion, fortunately he got up quickly so hopefully (the match review committee) see it that way.”
On Monday morning, the match review committee charged Wighton for both shots.
For his hit on Hastings, the 2019 Dally M Medallist received a grade-two dangerous contact charge and will miss two games after taking the early guilty plea.
An earlier high tackle on Knights fullback Lachie Miller has resulted in a grade-one careless high tackle charge and an $1800 fine.
The Raiders have won only one of their first four games this season and without Wighton risk falling to 1-5 given tough games against reigning premiers Penrith and ladder-leading Brisbane to come.
Wighton’s halves partner Jamal Fogarty missed the Knights game with a virus but is expected to return next week to face the Panthers.
Elsewhere, St George Illawarra five-eighth Jayden Sullivan has been charged twice for offences in the 40-8 loss to Cronulla but will escape suspension with fines.
Referee Todd Smith placed Sullivan on report twice in the space of a minute as the Sharks began to blow the scoreline out in the second half, first for tripping Will Kennedy and then for dangerous contact on Teig Wilton after a Cronulla scrum play.
Sullivan has received grade-one dangerous contact charges and a $1000 fine for each of his offences
